Review: Anastasia at the Lyric Theatre

Review by Carly Fisher

Whether you’re a fan of the 1997 animated film, or got wrapped up in the social media excitement of the show’s Broadway run, or if you happen to be a bit of a history buff… Anastasia is a show that many audience members arrive at with some element of expectation. Lavish, polished and undeniably regal, the show doesn’t always dig as deep as it could but even so, audiences are transported by the beauty of the production and mystique of the story. 

The musical offers a refreshing modernisation of the story but remains inspired by the enduring myth of Anastasia’s survival in 1918 when a group of Bolsheviks brutally murdered the entire Romanov family. There's no Rasputin and communism is given quite a musical theatre-esque light touch a la Hoovervilles in Annie, but the generational trauma of a country in the midst of change is well established and pulls at the heart.

From the opening moments, the production establishes a strong sense of atmosphere. The design does a lot of heavy lifting here, with projections and set pieces working together to evoke everything from imperial Russia to the glittering streets of Paris. It’s visually fluid and often genuinely beautiful, giving the show a cinematic quality that suits its epic scope. It's a shame that there wasn't just a bit more physical set to combat the projections - whilst the two mediums in balance can be magical, at many times the over reliance on screens missed the mark for me due to the lack of texture and depth. That said, the scenes with the family dancing - both in life and in ghost form - were particularly stunning.

At the centre of it all is Anya, a role that demands both vocal strength and emotional clarity. The performance here from Georgina Hopson is assured and warm, grounding the story with a sense of sincerity that keeps the more fantastical elements in check. There’s a quiet resilience to her portrayal that builds effectively across the show, particularly as the narrative shifts from survival to self-discovery. Hopson is beautiful in the role with the vocal sophistication to add a depth to this character that could easily be skipped over by a lesser vocalist.

Opposite her, Robert Tripolino as Dmitry brings a welcome charismatic presence. Their chemistry is easy and believable, which is essential in a show that leans so heavily on the central relationship. Joshua Robson as Gleb is the villain you can't really hate because of the quality of his performance. Robson stands out vocally and the intensity with which he plays each scene is imperative to giving the show that bit of depth that is often lacks.

Rhonda Burchmore and Rodney Dobson play extremely well off of each other as Countess Lily and Vlad. These characters are the comic relief and the two ham it up big time to meet that. Whilst Burchmore's performance was slick and funny, it definitely felt more like a performance as 'Rhonda Burchmore' than that she had morphed into the character of Lily. Entertaining, definitely but I did feel that this portrayal, and particularly scenes in Act 2 between these characters, distracted me from the story and world of the musical.

Nancye Hayes will never get the crowd excited. There is so much respect for her in that theatre, and for the incredible career she has had. It was wonderful to see her take on this regal role and deliver it with her signature elegance.

Anastasia has all the ingredients of a classic—romance, intrigue, a touch of history—but the musical numbers don’t consistently reach the emotional heights the story is aiming for. There are standout songs that linger, namely Journey to the Past, but others pass by pleasantly without leaving a lasting impression.

The accent work was perhaps most distracting - there seems to have been a decision to go with an over-emphasized standard American accent that was quite grating. Considering the American accent has as little relevance to this story as the Australian, it would have perhaps been preferable to see higher quality acting unimpeded by the overaggerated accent work.

The Ensemble work is excellent and the team really do a wonderful job and quickly transporting the audience between present and past on a whim. This show has a significant dance track and the Ensemble really excel in this, delivering sharp, polished performances throughout.

I've seen this show a few times now around the world and once again, our Australian cast absolutely holds their own amongst the best in the world.

Objectively, the show has some faults, namely in its writing: The stakes of the story—identity, loss, belonging—are compelling, but the show occasionally skims over them in favour of keeping the pace brisk, and the Disney-fied version of Russian history will lose the history buffs in the audience.

That said, the production itself is whimsical, polished and feel good. It's a hard show not to just enjoy and let yourself be transported by. And really, I'm happy to follow any journey that Georgina Hopson's voice is leading - a real Aussie talent, I can't wait to see what she does next.

For parents of teens - take them to this show. This is a perfect show to graduate from kids musical theatre and will hopefully encourage them to broaden their theatrical landscapes accordingly.

Anastasia in Sydney is a production that’s easy to like, even if it’s harder to love completely. It’s elegant, well-performed and visually engaging - an easy night at the theatre that you shouldn't miss.

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